On 25 Apil 2024, the Industry and Parliament Trust was delighted to arrange a cross-party group of parliamentarians to visit Aston Martin Lagonda at its Headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The visit was attended by Gary Sambrook MP, Paulette Hamilton MP, Matt Western MP, Nick Fletcher MP, Mark Pawsey MP and Ian Paisley MP.

Aston Martin is one of the world’s most desirable, ultra-luxury British brands, creating some of the most iconic and renowned performance cars of all time. Founded in 1913, Aston Martin produces critically acclaimed luxury models including the Vantage, DB12, DBS and DBX and its hypercar, the Aston Martin Valkyrie.

First opened in 2003 on the former RAF Gaydon airbase, Gaydon is the first purpose-built facility in the company’s history. All the company’s sports cars are manufactured in these facilities. Gaydon combines cutting-edge technology with handcraftsmanship and traditional techniques, providing an infrastructure ideally suited to innovation, creativity and advanced engineering.

The visit began with a detailed introduction to Aston Martin’s operations and the fascinating landscape surrounding small volume automotive manufacturing. The briefing covered sustainability, export capacity and potential, investment in skills and apprenticeships, highlighting the rich variety of car models manufactured in Gaydon, including the company’s specials series. The briefing was followed by an engaging tour of the factory, which showcased first-hand the cutting-edge manufacturing processes behind these iconic sports cars. The tour also included a look into the facility’s Design Studio which enables Aston Martin to tightly integrate its renowned design capability with engineering and production processes.

Throughout the visit, the group had the chance to meet with some of Aston Martin’s apprentices, hearing about how their apprenticeship experiences have equipped them with valuable skills and opportunities to build their careers.

The IPT would like to thank Aston Martin for hosting the parliamentarians, providing invaluable insight into this exciting facility that serves as a glowing symbol of a bright future for the UK’s automotive industry.